Number: 72
Proto-Semitic: *balVʕ/ɣ-
Meaning: uvula; gullet, gorge
Syrian Aramaic: bālaʕtā 'guttur' [Brock 76]
Mandaic Aramaic: balʕuma 'gullet' [DM 48].
Looks like an Arabism
Arabic: bulʕum- 'oesophage, canal de déglution' [BK 1 161]; cf. also ʔa-blaɣ- 'long (se dit du cou, d'une encolure longue)' [ibid. 162].
Note also balʕ-at- 'trou dans la meule' [ibid. 161] and bulaʕ- 'trou de la poulie' [ibid.] (both lit. 'gorge'?)
Mehri: tǝbǝlōt 'uvula; tonsil(s); tonsilitis' [JM 399]
Jibbali: tɔbźɔʕɔ́t 'uvula' [JJ 269]; cf. mú-blɔɣ 'tonsil' [ibid. 26]
Soqotri: bálḥam 'viveur' [LS 88] (-ḥ- <-*ʕ-); QALAN.-V téblɛɣɔh 'luette' [SSL 4 94]; QADHUB tǝ́blaɣah 'amygdale; luette' [SSL LS 1454]
Notes: Usually regarded as related to, or derived from, SEM *blʕ 'to swallow' (cf. [DRS 68], [LGz 92-95]); this verb, however, definitely points to ʕ (so in ARB and MSA), while the noun under consideration shows oscillation ʕ/ɣ in JIB, SOQ and, likely, ARB.
Note variant stems with *-am in ARB (cf. also blʕm and blʕ 'avaler' [BK 1 161) and SOQ (the MND example is likely an Arabism), which may probably be regarded as common SEM, and *ta- in MSA.
[DRS 68-69]
